Cotton Mather at the Congregational Library: An Annotated Bibliography

Cotton Mather (1663-1728) has been described as the first American to embrace the Enlightenment, and his legacy is an important key to uncovering much about early America and the nation that follows. But he has often been caricatured or forgotten, becoming one of the most misunderstood and fascinating figures in American history. Sourcing Mather's own writings, current scholars are challenging past assumptions and changing perceptions of Mather and his stature. To mark the 350th anniversary of Mather's birth the Congregational Library and Archives presented a 2013 symposium, "Mather Redux: New Perspectives on Cotton Mather", where eminent historians painted a revised and relevant portrait of the much maligned preacher and his time. The revival of interest in Mather and his legacy motivated us to survey our own and others’ collections to provide a resource for historians and scholars.

A reply to George Keith's The Presbyterian and Independent Visible Churches in New-England and Else-Where Brought to the Test. Although the preface is signed by James Allen, Joshuah Moodey, Samuel Willard, and Cotton Mather, Mather is considered the author chiefly responsible for writing the work.

Election Day sermon appealing for the encouragement and support of public service after the difficult years of Gov. Andros. Mather points out that New England is religious, not secular, that Quakers are attempting to undermine the nature of the colony. He proposes a system of credit to help the unfortunate, recommends more pay for teachers and more support for establishing schools.

As is frequently found, the Congregational Library copy is bound with Cotton Mather's The Way to Prosperity and is inscribed by the author to John Cotton. A former owner from the early 1700s has inscribed: "This book is useful even in a family but it should be carefully read or you will not understand it."

Mather and the other clergy provided advice on the interpretation of law regarding the guilt or innocence of those already imprisoned on witchcraft charges. According to Holmes, the caution the ministers recommended was sadly either ignored or misunderstood.

The Congregational Library copy is inscribed: "The gift of Sam. Sewall, Esq. at the death of his mother Mrs. Judith Hull, June 95." ; Judith Quincy Hull, a religious leader and wife of the Massachusetts mint-master, was Judge Sewall's mother-in-law. Judge Sewall is known for his part in the Salem witch trials and for his later apology.

A major resource for the study of early New England. Mather extensively describes its settlement, including the history of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, a biography of John Eliot, and a biography of Sir William Phips, among many others.

Funeral sermon "by one who was once a scholar to him." Cheever taught at Boston Latin from 1670 until the end of his life and authored what is considered the first American school-book, a Latin textbook.

Man Eating the Food of Angels … has own title page and pagination, but registration is continuous with An Earnest Exhortation, which was published in 1711. Although the imprint dates differ, they were originally published in one volume. Both works were addressed to children and encouraged goodness and daily prayer.

Based on a letter written to Cotton Mather, the Nuncia Bona describes the philanthropic work of theologian, pastor, and teacher, Dr. August Hermann Francke, who in the late 1600s, established an orphanage, several schools, and a hospital in Saxony.

Cotton Mather's speech upon "giving the right hand of fellowship" at his nephew's ordination follows the sermon. The volume has the ownership signature of Experience Mayhew, missionary to the Wampanoag people on Martha's Vineyard.

Appended to the 2nd ed. of Increase Mather's The Duty of Parents to Pray for Their Children (Boston, 1719). With own title page, but unlike the first edition (Boston, 1703), the pagination and registration are continuous.

Written over a period of several years, Cotton Mather described Congregational discipline and order in ten articles.

Increase Mather's "Attestation" explains that it was not because of a difference in doctrine from the Church of England that "the ancestors transported themselves and their families over the vast ocean", but because of church order and discipline.

"Among the multitude of books which have emanated from the New England press, we know of none which, for vigor of thought, comprehensiveness of views, and depth of piety, deserves a higher place than this." —Advertisement.

Increase Mather's "Brief History of King Philip's War" with Cotton Mather's history of the same war, originally printed in Book 7 of the Magnalia Christi Americana, are here reprinted together. Drake has added supplementary material, a genealogical chart of the Mather family, and engraved portraits of the two authors.

"The surviving letters represent the largest extant correspondence of any American Puritan figure. This selection is the product of a search which covered fifteen states and twenty-one different countries and located 569 of Mather's letters" —Introduction

The letters are from c. 1678 to 1727 and are on a great variety of topics. About four-fifths of Mather's extant letters were included.

The only published account of the materials contained in the Mather family library, with separate lists of those books held at the American Antiquarian Society, the Massachusetts Historical Society, and at other institutions.

An extensive introductory essay explores the provenance and dispersal of the Mather library.

Although the most complete list available, the bibliography is notable for lacking more than 500 titles from the Mather collection held at the American Antiquarian Society.

A reinterpretation of Cotton Mather's published works and involvement in major events, this biography follows Mather's development as an intellectual and public figure. Focused on his early and middle years, this biography does not cover the last twenty-five years of Mather's life.

Written by Cotton Mather's son, this biography relies on the author's personal memories and material taken from Cotton Mather's writings to tell his life story. The bibliography of Mather's work offers an early attempt to collect a comprehensive list of his works.

This work includes a reprinting of Truth and Innocency Defended; Against Falshood and Envy; and the Martyrs of Jesus, and Sufferers for His Sake, Vindicated. In Answer to Cotton Mather (A Priest of Boston) His Calumnies, Lyes and Abuses of the People called Quakers, in His Late Church-History of New-England. With Remarks and Observations on Several Passages in the Same, and His Confessions to the Just Judgments of God on Them by John Whiting, originally published in London, 1702.

This work looks at how Cotton Mather's belief in Milliennialism shaped his interpretation of events during his lifetime. The book also includes a bibliographical essay that charts the changing opinion regarding Cotton Mather over time.

Reprinted from Philological Quarterly, volume V, number 3 (1926), this article explores the interest that Cotton Mather had in the work of German scholar, educator, clergyman, and philanthropist August Hermann Francke.

This dissertation examines Rev. Solomon Stoddard (1643-1729) and his disagreements with the tenants of the Cambridge Platform and the Half-Way Covenant. Increase and Cotton Mather acted as Stoddard's primary opponents on these issues and their views are compared by the author.

Gura, Philip F. "Cotton Mather's Life of Phips: 'A Vice with the Vizard of Vertue Upon It'". The New England Quarterly. 50.3 (1977): 440-457.

The author argues that Cotton Mather's biography of William Phips redefined the ideal public life in a new American context.

An article regarding the manuscript of Directions for a Son Going to the Colledge held at the Congregational Library and Archives. It includes a comment on the Directions from the bibliographer T.J. Holmes and a transcription of the manuscript.

Cotton Mather's most thorough bibliographer seeks to clarify that Mather produced very little writing about witchcraft and that these works were not considered his primary achievements by his contemporaries.

Originally printed in Bibliographical Essays: a Tribute to Wilberforce Eames, this article explores how and why Cotton Mather's writings about the Margaret Rule witchcraft incident were included in Robert Calef's More Wonders of the Invisible World.

A historical recount of the 1721 smallpox epidemic in Boston and the controversy that erupted around inoculations, of which Cotton Mather played a major role.

Levin, David. "Giants in the Earth: Science and the Occult in Cotton Mather's Letters to the Royal Society". The William and Mary Quarterly. 3d ser., 45.4 (1988): 751-770.

In addition to a transcription of Cotton Mather's first letter to the Royal Society of London, the author uses this letter to examine the role that the occult played in Cotton Mather's comprehension of the world.

Through a reexamination of historical documents, the author unveils what reforms Cotton Mather would have implemented had he been chosen as the president of Harvard University.

Also included is a transcription of Mather's "Important Points, Relating to the Education at Harvard-Colledge; Needful to be Enquired Into, Præpared and Humbly Offered, by Some Who Have Newly Pass'd Thro' the First Four Years of Their Being There", along with two other related documents.

Written by John Palmer, a member of the Council of Governor Andros, as a vindication of the deposed government and in reply to Cotton Mather's "The Declaration, of the Gentlemen, Merchants, and Inhabitants of Boston, and Countrey Adjacent. April 18th. 1689."

A collection of essays that reexamine Cotton Mather as an intellectual and his biblical commentary entitled Biblia Americana. The essays cover a range to topics, including Mather's explorations of theological, philosophical, and scientific matters; his relationships with international scholars; and Mather's considerations of gender, race, and slavery within the Biblia Americana.

An investigation of the smallpox epidemic that struck Boston in 1721 and the subsequent debate between Mather, other ministers, physicians, and newspaper editors over the practice of inoculation. The author points to Mather's championing of wide-spread inoculation as evidence of his position as an early Enlightenment thinker in the American colonies.

Winship, Michael P. "Prodigies, Puritanism, and the Perils of Natural Philosophy: The Example of Cotton Mather". The William and Mary Quarterly. 3d ser., 51.1 (1994): 92-105.

By following the evolution of Cotton Mather's interpretation of "prodigies" or natural oddities, the author evaluates Mather’s understanding and acceptance of scientific thought.

Other Collections and Repositories

An outgrowth of an ongoing effort to publish Cotton Mather's holograph manuscript Biblia Americana (1693-1728), a huge commentary on the Bible, currently edited by an international team of scholars, and collaboratively published in 10 volumes by Mohr Siebeck (Germany) and Baker Academic (USA) intended to provide access to the unpublished and select number of published family papers of Richard Mather (1596-1669), Increase Mather (1639-1723), and Cotton Mather (1663-1728).

Written by a leading contemporary Mather scholar, this bibliography provides a thorough survey of books and articles of scholarly criticism about Mather, along with readily available works written by Mather. Arraigned thematically, an introductory paragraph begins each grouping by providing details on the historical development of Mather studies. Each entry includes an annotation.